Hamas military wing: Missing IDF soldier may have died during ambush

The Hamas Islamist group's armed wing in the Gaza Strip said on Saturday it had no clear indication on the whereabouts of an Israeli soldier that Israel has accused them of abducting, adding he may have been killed during an ambush.

A statement by the group said it had no contact with militants who were operating in the area in the southern Gaza Strip where Israel said Second-Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, 23, went missing on Friday, and it feared all had been killed.

"We have lost contact with the group of fighters that took part in the ambush and we believe they were all killed in the (Israeli) bombardment. Assuming that they managed to seize the soldier during combat, we assess that he was also killed in the incident," the statement said.